§ MR. M'CARTAN (Down, S.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether he can state on what grounds the County of Down 379 has been proclaimed under the Criminal Law Amendment (Ireland) Act by the Lord Lieutenant?
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER SECRETARY (Colonel KING-HARMAN) (Kent, Isle of Thanet)(who replied) said: The reasons for proclaiming County Down are the same as those for proclaiming Kildare—some portions of the county are in a state of disturbance.
§ MR. SEXTON (Belfast, W.)I have to ask, as this is the fourth Irish county mentioned on the Paper to-day—Fermanagh, Kildare, Westmeath, and Down—proclaimed in respect of taking forcible possession and assaults on the officers of the law, although the Inspector General says not one of these offences has been committed in any of these four counties—whether the Irish Government have proceeded on the principle of proclaiming counties in respect of offences which have not been committed?
§ COLONEL KING-HARMANI think the Chief Secretary gave a sufficient answer to this the other day, when he said that in all the counties where intimidation prevails—and that, I am sorry to say, is more or loss the case in every county in Ireland—the Government have taken the precaution of proclaiming the county under the minor and more clement clause of the Act.
§ MR. SEXTONIs the House to take the personal statement of the right lion, and gallant Gentleman against the official Report of the Inspector General, who stated that there was no case of intimidation in these counties? Does the right hon. and gallant Gentleman expect the House to believe there is intimidation?
§ MR. SPEAKEROrder, order!
§ MR. SEXTONI did not mean these words in any offensive sense.
§ MR. SPEAKERI interrupted the hon. Member because he was putting his question in an argumentative form.
§ MR. SEXTONI would ask the right hon. and gallant Gentleman, does he question the statement made by the Inspector General that there is not a single case of intimidation, either by threatening letter or otherwise, in any of these four counties?
§ COLONEL KING-HARMANIf Boycotting can be carried on without intimidation the statement may be correct; but as Boycotting exists in all 380 these four counties, I hold there is intimidation.
§ MR. SEXTONIs it a fact that Boycotting does not come under paragraphs B and O of the section under -which these counties have been proclaimed?
MR. R. T. REID&c.) (Dumfries,Will the right hon. and gallant Gentleman kindly furnish the House with the information and the Reports on which he has acted?
§ COLONEL KING-HARMANNo, Sir. They are confidential Reports.
§ MR. M'CARTANIs the right hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that in the case of County Down the Report of the Inspector General shows that from the 1st of January, 1885, to 31st March, 1886, not a single offence of any kind has been committed: and from the 31st March to the 30th June this year only one case—a case of firing—occurred, where an anti-Nationalist attacked the house of Mr. Heron, of Killala, when several parties wore arrested, and the magistrate acquitted them all but one?
§ COLONEL KING-HARMANsaid, that was a matter of detail which he did not remember.
MR. T. M.HEALY (Longford, N.)I wish to ask the right hon. and gallant Gentleman, in reference to the answer he has just given, if the House is to understand that the confidential Reports furnished by officials and Police Authorities clash with the published Reports made by the same Gentlemen to the House of Commons?
§ MR. SEXTONI wish to ask the right hon. and gallant Gentleman whether, as the Government rely in justification of the Proclamation of the Irish counties upon casual mention in debate of the number of persons Boycotted and receiving police protection he will lay before the House, without naming the districts or identifying the persons, a Return of the number of persons in each county either Boycotted or receiving police protection?
§ COLONEL KING-HARMANIf the hon. Gentleman will give Notice of this Question it will be considered.